


storms will push and pull

by PuriPuki



Series: the dirt in which our roots may grow [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: (not described), Angst with a Happy Ending, Car Accidents, Gen, Light Angst, M/M, Medical Trauma, Other, Parenthood, comatose character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 09:42:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13144017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PuriPuki/pseuds/PuriPuki
Summary: This is one of Olivier’s only memories of his father that isn’t set in the dim hospital room, where his father lays lifeless, mask over his mouth and strange machines beeping steadily to the rhythm of a heartbeat.





	storms will push and pull

His earliest memory is from when he was six, at some family event - it had to have been family, because he knows that his aunts and uncles were all there. They’re outside, it’s hot, and he can hear Auntie Cynthia splashing in the pool. There’s a gentle wind and the sway of it through the leaves catches his attention, but all of the dogs try to compete for it. His father picks him up and swings around, laughing and smiling, holding him close. He curls his fingers into his father’s snowy hair and all is well.

This is one of Olivier’s only memories of his father that isn’t set in the dim hospital room, where his father lays lifeless, mask over his mouth and strange machines beeping steadily to the rhythm of a heartbeat. 

It happened shortly after that first memory.

A car accident, Papa says. Olivier doesn’t remember it. They were going to dance class, because Olivier had his ballet slippers on and his regular shoes were on the floor of the car. They did this drive every week, down Maple Avenue to Main Street and Florence, to his grandmother’s dance school, Lafontaine Ballet. 

Inigo was always careful on the road. 

In his youth, he wasn’t the safest driver on the road, but what teenager is? The sobering moment had been junior year, on the way to prom - Laurent and Lucina, who were bound to win the class couple superlative, were involved in a crash en route. Laurent came out unscathed, but Lucina’s fate was less secure. Though she ultimately recovered, that fear of losing a friend led all of them to drive a bit safer.

Though that had been many years ago, and Inigo and Gerome had better reasons to drive safe now - they had their son. 

And it was just dance class. Olivier wasn’t the best yet, but he wanted to dance like his Daddy, and gods be damned if Inigo didn’t indulge his son. 

Olivier leaves the accident with a few bruises, bumps, and scratches.

Inigo leaves in an ambulance.

Olivier doesn’t always understand, either, and every new explanation nearly brings Gerome to the brink of tears. Olivier doesn’t know why his father doesn’t just wake up, because the nurses always say that his father is dreaming, and if you dream, you must be asleep - which means you can wake up. 

Papa says it’s different from how you normally sleeps. Olivier doesn’t understand that either.  
He misses the lullabies that his father sang to him the most. His Papa and Nana try, but it isn’t the same. Instead, Olivier sings the lullabies to his father when they visit, and he hopes it helps in some way. 

Olivier’s first day of school is not an easy one.

First grade would have already been challenging enough, being away from home for so long with so many new people (needless to say, Olivier takes after his father too much and his Nana gives him the same advice she gave his father - ignore them if they’re mean, and be kind if they are kind to you). His teacher, Miss Cherry, knows about his daddy, and his papa knows she knows. It doesn’t make any of the kids any less cruel.

All to quickly, January is here and with it comes Olivier’s birthday. It is the first he spends without both parents at his side, and he insists that they spend the actual day of at the hospital, so that his daddy knows it’s his birthday and that they won’t celebrate without him. 

If Gerome cries when his son says as much, no one says anything.

The end of the school year follows in suit, and the summer should be something Olivier looks forward too. His papa still works during the summer, so Olivier spends his days either with his Nana and Poppa or with his Grandmama and Ojiichan. They are doting and always play with him, but it isn’t the same. 

Olivier loves them, but he wants his father back more. 

In September, one of the weekdays where his Nana takes him to see his daddy after school, there is a development. The nurse that day, Ana, tells them that there’s more brain activity than usual. Olivier doesn’t really get what that means, but Nana says it’s a good thing, and that his daddy might wake up soon. 

He is ecstatic that night, and Gerome does his best to corral his overactive son, but the prospect of having his father back is enough to stave off sleep until 10 pm. Gerome’s bags are a little deeper the next day, but even he can’t wait for his husband to wake.

It doesn’t happen as soon as they want.

Olivier is crushed when his father isn’t awake the next day, but the routine stays the same - they go, they sing to Inigo, they leave a piece of cake from Auntie Noire’s bakery on the side table, and they are quiet on the drive home. 

The second Christmas is harder than the first. 

Until it isn’t.  
The hospital calls at exactly 1:13 am, and Gerome almost ignores it because he’d just been falling asleep, but the realization clicks and he fears the worst. 

“Hello, is this Mr. Taira-Baptise Lafontaine? I’m calling on behalf of Santa Mari-”

“This is him, what happened, is he alright?” He whispers into the phone, careful to be quiet, in case it’s nothing “Please tell me he’s okay”

“I have good news, for once. Your husband woke up earlier this evening, and has been asking for you and your son since. We had to check him over for any residual maladies, but he’s out of the woods for now. Would you-”

“We’ll be right there, thank you so much, tell him we’ll be there soon, thank you, I- thank you.” He almost sobs into the phone, but pushes it back and steels himself. It’s too good to be true, almost.

“Olivier, wake up, kiddo.” Gerome nudges his son, met with disgruntled noises and Olivier rolling over. “Olivier, come on - Daddy’s awake. Olivier, wake up, we gotta go.”

“Daddy’s awake..?” Olivier mumbles, rubbing at his eyes. It’s a moment before it sets in, but soon enough Olivier is up and running, stumbling over his pajamas and rushing to dress himself. “Daddy’s awake!! He’s awake, awake, awake!! Papa, we gotta go, gotta go, gotta go!!”

Olivier’s quickpaced tirade of frantic excitement doesn’t slow over the car ride, and he yells it even louder when Gerome gets Olivia and Henry on the phone. Olivia cries and Henry is quick to join her, and then they’re off, driving the miles and miles to the hospital as quick as they can - speeding regulations be damned. Olivier screams at him to call Grandmama and Ojiichan too, before begging to turn on the radio so he can sing, and Gerome can barely hear his parents over him.

It’s been two years too long.

**Author's Note:**

> for my beloved girlfriend who wanted to see more of Olivier - Merry Christmas


End file.
